Regrets A Charmed Profiler Crossover
by Maricole
Summary: Phoebe runs into someone she thinks is Cole and reacts accordingly
1. Default Chapter

These characters belong to the producers of the shows that created them, and not to me in any way, I just borrowed them for the sake of my story. I hope someone likes it, as I know it wont be as good as some of the stories are, I am in awe of some of the talent which is displayed on this site! Please be kind. I think it's probably a PG13 rating, not sure. Many thanks to Barb for Beta Reading this for me and correcting many mistakes, and to Dee for showing me the way

Phoebe Halliwell stared out of her bedroom window, at all the lights in the city, and the beautiful panorama before her. She had every reason to feel satisfied with life at the moment, she was becoming increasingly popular with her readers, she had a beautiful baby nephew, and she was sleeping with her incredibly sexy boss. It was her birthday, and Jason had given her a beautiful diamond watch, which wasn't quite a ring, but a whole lot better than flowers or chocolates! She was 30 years old - no longer a gullible girl, a susceptible child, but a mature and (she hoped) beautiful woman, with the world at her feet. She gazed over the city, then closed her eyes in bliss as a pair of warm strong arms encircled her, and she was pulled back into a warm and tight embrace. "Come back to bed Phoebe," he whispered in her ear, and she smiled and turned her face slowly to the side, so he could kiss her cheek. "I miss you there." She squirmed a little in his hold, enjoying the feel of his arms, the feel of his chin resting on her head - it felt right, it was something she and Cole . She slammed shut her thoughts, she would not go there, not again, not ever. This was Jason with her, blonde, handsome non-magical Jason, not Cole, not dark, dangerous demonic Cole - not ever again would it be Cole. Jason, who felt her stiffen slightly, looked at her with concern. "What's the matter Phoebe? Is something wrong?" She smiled her bright, wide smile, and turned into his embrace. "Nothing's wrong Jason, what could possibly be wrong? Just watching all the lights, and you know, thinking.." "Then come back to bed," he whispered, "let me show you how much I worship you." She lay back down, and he came to her, and made love to her, and she gazed up at the ceiling, the edge of exitement gone for some reason, and try as she might she couldn't recapture it. "O.K., your heart isn't in it," he said in exasperation, "something is wrong, out with it." "Nothing is wrong," she whispered, "It's the day after my birthday now," she said glancing at her bedside clock, "And it would have been my anniversary things had worked out differently. But I'm so glad it's not - I mean I'm so glad you are here, and him, not him." Jason lay back against the pillows, looking at her intently. "It's the first time I've heard you mention your ex-husband," he said. "I knew about him from Elise."

"Elise?" said Phoebe scornfully, "What does she know? Nothing. What did she say to you?"

"Just that you had been through a messy divorce, and that your ex- husband was a lawyer." Phoebe laughed, if only it had been that simple. "A lawyer, yes," she whispered "messy, yes! It's so over Jason, you have nothing to worry about! He's dead now, anyway." And inside of her that feeling she sometimes had, of a hand squeezing her heart, just for a second, that feeling swept over her, and she turned on her side. "I shouldn't have even said anything, just forget it, let's sleep now, tomorrow is a busy day." But Jason sat up, and leaned over her. "Dead? I didn't know that. I'm sorry Phoebe," "Don't be sorry," she whispered, and he lay back down, and as he drifted off to sleep, he thought he heard her say, "I killed him myself, and he deserved to die!" She listened to Jason's breathing as it slowed, and watched the shadows on the ceiling. Then she turned, and reached into her bedside cupboard drawer, feeling for her birth-control pills, and suddenly her hand came in contact with an envelope, which she had thrown, into the drawer many months before. And with a sickening swoop of the senses, she was suddenly somewhere else.

She was in the mausoleum with Leo, pacing, anxious, waiting for Cole, with her heart pounding, and he was suddenly there, and she was in his arms, kissing him desperately, holding his handsome face in her hands, feeling his strong arms around her, and he was gone again, back into danger, back to destroy the Brotherhood, for her, to prove himself to her .She was on the rooftop, trying to get Paige to safety, and he threw himself in front of a Shax energy bolt so she was safe. She was in an alley, with a demon about to cut her throat with an athame, and Cole was there to take the demon out, before he could hurt her. he was making love to her, kissing her senseless, as only he could, .she was dying in the attic, and Piper was dying next to her, and he came, and killed the demon, and called Leo to save them..She was shimmering through time, caught tight in his was lying on her bed, shaking convulsively trying to slow her breathing so Jason wouldn't wake up. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, her lungs dragged in air - where had that all come from? It wasn't a premonition - though she felt just as exhausted as she did when one of those hit her - it wasn't a dream, she had been awake. Cautiously she crept out of bed, out of the room, and down the stairs, into the sunroom. It had been a year since Paige told her that he was finally vanquished. Paige had followed him into an alternate universe, one where he was not invincible, and told her that she, Phoebe, had been the one in that reality, to throw the potion that finally vanquished him. And she had done it gladly, without remorse, and when she had found out in this reality, she still felt no remorse, only a defiant gladness that he was gone - out of her life for good! Until ten minutes ago, she had not let herself even think about him. She had not looked at any of the photos of him; she had thrown herself into her job. She hated him, in the end; she blamed him for everything that went wrong. He had become the Source, she had lost her husband, her soul mate, her baby, nearly her life, and the lives of her sisters, and it was all because of him. He had fought his way back from the Wasteland, in the process becoming more powerful than ever, and had come to her, pleading for her forgiveness, but she couldn't forgive. She ignored all the good he had done; she arrogantly dismissed any suggestion that it hadn't been his fault, that the Seer had used him. He had won her love; then destroyed it, and she would never forgive. Even when he still saved her life, and her sisters' lives, she treated him with distain. When he finally snapped, when his enormous power was destroying his mind, she still hated him, and could feel no pity, only loathing. So why, tonight, did her heart still race, and why, tonight, was she awake, and dreaming of him?


	2. Chapter 3

Thank you to my reviewer  
  
CHAPTER 3 She looked dry-eyed up at Jason, and then smiled her bewitching smile. "Are you off?" she asked, knowing he liked to get away before the house woke up. "I'll see you at work in a couple of hours." And she put her face up for a kiss. Jason took her face between his hands, and looked deeply into her eyes. "Are you sure there is nothing bothering you?" he asked gently. "You didn't get any sleep at all!" "Then you wont be upset if I fall asleep at my desk," she teased, "and I don't make my deadlines."  
  
Piper was usually up first in the mornings, and was surprised to find Phoebe asleep on the sofa in the conservatory. She came downstairs, carrying a gurgling baby, singing softly to herself. She enjoyed this time to herself, just her and Wyatt, she could let down her defenses, and sing and play with the baby. She looked at her sister, curled up asleep, hugging a cushion to her chest, and backed out of the room, but not before she heard Phoebe whimper in her sleep, and murmur "Throw the potion, kill him now!" She hoped she wasn't having a premonition; she didn't feel like demon chasing today.  
  
By the time the others wandered downstairs, Wyatt was spitting baby rice back over his mother, who was laughingly trying to spoon it into his mouth, and cook toast for all, at the same time. Phoebe wandered into the kitchen, stretching her neck from side to side. "Ouch, I have a stiff neck," she complained, "Leo can you do your thing, and straighten out my spine?" she asked as she picked up a piece of toast. "Bad night sis?" asked Piper, wiping the baby's face again. "No," answered Phoebe brightly, "I slept fine. Must have sleep walked down to the conservatory, though, cause I woke up on the lounge there." "You were there when I came home," said Paige, surprised, "We had a conversation." "Did we?" Phoebe asked "Don't remember, I had a good night." And disappeared upstairs to have a shower.  
  
She finished her column with several hours to spare, and was feeling very pleased with herself, when her cell phone rang, and it was Darryl, asking her to come in and look at some photos. She blew a kiss at Jason, as she sauntered out of the office, promising to return for the staff meeting later that afternoon.  
  
Darryl was waiting for her by the reception desk, and ushered her through the busy police station, to his office. He seemed a little upset, as soon as the door shut, he turned to her, frowning, and flopped down into his chair. "Thanks for coming Phoebe, I know this is not what you usually do, but if you could look at some photos, maybe you could give me something, anything at all, about this serial killer - he's killed four young boys in the last 3 or so months." And he threw a thick folder on the table in front of her. "You know I can't will a premonition to happen," she said, "but of course I'll try - tell me Darryl, why are you so upset?" "The top brass has called the Feds in on this one, I'm losing control of the case" he said in a disgusted tone. "Maybe you could give me an edge,"  
  
Before she had a chance to pick up the folder, a knock was heard on Darryl's door, and it opened immediately. She recognized Captain Thomas, Darryl's boss, as he walked into the office, followed by an attractive woman, perhaps Phoebe's age, perhaps a little younger, with striking red hair, and a dark haired man who walked into the room last. "Lieutenant Morris - these are agents Burke and Grant, from the VCTF here to help us out on that serial killer case," said Captain Thomas, and the red haired woman moved forward to shake Darryl's hand.  
  
Nobody took any notice of Phoebe, backing away into the corner, her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and staring, the colour draining from her face. She had watched the two agents walk into the room, only thinking about how she could sneak out, then looked up at the woman shaking hands with Darryl, then past her to the man standing in the doorway - and her heart slammed into her ribs, her breath left her body with a whoosh, she felt the floor sink and sway beneath her. She was trying to drag air into her lungs, trying to think, trying to hold onto her sanity and trying not to faint all at the same time. She let out a strangled gasp, and instantly all eyes in the room turned toward her, she saw only one pair.  
  
"Cole," she whispered, and sank to her knees. Instantly Darryl rushed to her side, "Are you all right Phoebe?" he said, concerned, then as the FBI agent came further into the room, he saw him properly for the first time. "What the..Who are you?" he demanded, holding Phoebe tightly against him, feeling her shudder. "My name's Grant - John Grant," said the FBI agent, extending his hand towards Phoebe in concern, "Are you all right?"  
  
Phoebe surged to her feet in an instant, her faintness disappearing in a surge of rage. She literally flew across the room, curling her hands into fists, and leapt screaming upon the unsuspecting agent.  
  
"You Evil Bastard!" she screamed, punching him in the face, and sending him backwards into the wall, then as he was off balance, began pounding his chest with both fists, and then kicking him as hard as she could in the chest. "You stinking rotten Evil Bastard," she kept screaming at him, punctuating each word with a kick or punch. Her second kick to his stomach, doubled the man up, and the third caused him to fall to the floor clutching his ribs, before Captain Thomas, Darryl, and the red haired woman all flung themselves on Phoebe, Darryl finally lifting her bodily off the floor, to restrain her. She screamed a few more obscenities at the FBI agent, then suddenly the fight went out of her, and she began to weep uncontrollably. The woman, who had introduced herself as Rachel Burke, sank to her knees, to help her fallen colleague, who seemed barely conscious and was bleeding from a cut lip, and a cut above one eye.  
  
Captain Thomas turned to Phoebe, and said in a furious tone "What the hell was that all about? You are under arrest. Put her in a cell Morris, then come and see me." He turned back to the FBI agents with some concern. "Are you all right? Let me get our medical officer in here."  
  
But John Grant sat up, ruefully wiping blood off his face, and looked up at Phoebe in amazement. "You certainly pack a punch for someone your size," he said to her, and then in an aside to his partner "And you think I don't make a good first up impression." Rachel smothered a laugh, touching his arm lightly, relieved to know by his joking that he was o.k., then turned angrily to Phoebe. "I don't know what your problem is lady, but you can't go attacking federal officers like that."  
  
And Phoebe just stared at John Grant, mesmerized. The fight had gone out of her; she deflated like a pricked balloon. Darryl, not knowing what to do, ushered her out of his office, and was about to send her away, when Captain Thomas came back, and grabbed her arm. "Come with me, you are under arrest," and dragged her off down the corridor to the processing area, leaving Darryl stunned, listening to her sobs receding in the distance.  
  
He eventually cleared his throat, and turned back to the two FBI agents "I'm sorry that happened, but you must understand there are reasons why she reacted that way. You look - gosh it's unbelievable, you look just like her ex-husband."  
  
John Grant lifted one eyebrow "Well if that's the way she treated him, no wonder he's an ex. Besides, even if I do resemble him, that doesn't give her the right to attack me. What's she going to do, attack everyone who looks like this guy?" And he scrambled to his feet, catching his breath and gingerly feeling his ribs.  
  
Darryl shook his head, "When I say you look like him, I mean, you look exactly like him - you could be his identical twin. I've never seen two people look so much alike!" Rachel Burke handed John another clean tissue, and turned to Darryl. "Her attack was completely unwarranted. John's right, it doesn't matter how much he looks like her ex-husband, the fact remains that he is a Federal Officer of the Law, and she has attacked him without provocation! I'll press charges, even if he won't!" and then to John "You'd better find the bathroom, and clean yourself up."  
  
Darryl indicated that John should follow him, and led him to the men's restroom. Then he backed into an empty office, and pulled out his cell phone, dialing Piper frantically. He would need her and Leo to come down and sort out this mess straight away. 


	3. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4  
  
"Phoebe what?" yelled Piper into the phone, "O.K. We are on our way, is she alright?"  
  
Leo looked up from where he was dangling Wyatt on his knee. Paige stopped stirring the potion she was making.  
  
"That was Darryl," said Piper, putting down the phone. "Phoebe has been arrested - evidently she attacked some FBI agent at the police station a little while ago. Darryl said we'd better get down there a.s.a.p."  
  
"Arrested!" exclaimed Paige. "Phoebe wouldn't attack an innocent though. She must have had a reason."  
  
"All Darryl said was to come now - and if possible bring photos of Cole! I have no idea what he's going on about."  
  
"Has Phoebe kept any photos of Cole?" asked Leo, putting Wyatt into the baby sling. "Why would he want photos of Cole?" asked Paige, bewildered. "Yes, Phoebe put them all into an album and it's in her bedroom somewhere."  
  
"Go and get the album, if you can," said Piper, packing essentials into a baby bag, "And hurry, Darryl sounded upset."  
  
In twenty minutes, they were knocking on Darryl's door. He had spent an unhappy few minutes with Captain Thomas, who had been very vocal about the incident, and very adamant that Phoebe would be charged. The two VCTF agents were arguing in the captain's office about the need for medical treatment, Rachel Burke determined that John Grant should go to the hospital for x-rays, and he just as determined not to go. Darryl opened his door and waved the Halliwell's inside.  
  
"Thank God you are here, you won't believe what happened." He said, closing the door against further intrusion. "Well tell us, Darryl, don't drag it out!" said Paige, perching on the corner of his desk.  
  
"Phoebe was going to look at some stuff for me, to try and help with a serial killer case - the Fed's were called in and came into see me, while Phoebe was here. One of them looks like Cole, and she just went ballistic. She fully attacked him, and was arrested. I don't know how we are going to sort this out."  
  
"Phoebe attacked this guy because he looks like Cole?" asked Piper slowly - "She must have a lot of pent up emotions happening, that we don't know about. Is there any chance if we talk to him, that he will drop the charges? We can't have Phoebe charged!"  
  
"Well, I hope we can sort something out," said Darryl, "If he hasn't broken any ribs, we may be able to convince them to drop the charges, but if there is more serious damage, probably not, which is why I thought Leo could."  
  
"And the photo album?" asked Paige. "To show these two people that Phoebe isn't crazy, that he really does look like Cole. Maybe they will understand if they see how much this guy looks like him." "Let's try and talk to them," said Piper, "And then to Phoebe."  
  
Darryl opened his door, "I'll go and see if they will talk to you," he said, "Give me a few minutes." He came back a short time later, and indicated they follow him, and led them to another office. As they walked in the door, Piper first, followed by Paige and Leo, they all stopped, and all three stared in amazement at the man sitting on the couch.  
  
"My God," said Paige, "What the..?" "This is agent John Grant, VCTF Atlanta," said Darryl quickly and loudly, diverting their attention to him, before anyone could say or do anything to inflame the situation "And this is Rachel Burke."  
  
Piper made a flicking motion with her hands, and the people in the room froze. Then she and Paige walked forward and stood above the man sitting on the couch. He was frozen in position, looking up at them, still holding a hand to his left side.  
  
"Leo, its not possible, is it?" demanded Piper, "I mean, Cole is dead isn't he? This can't be him - can it?"  
  
Leo shrugged his shoulders; he couldn't believe his eyes either. Paige grabbed his arm, and said urgently, "Would they know up there?" indicating the heavens. "We have to find out if.."  
  
"This can't be Cole," said Leo, "Didn't Darryl say this man has been with the Atlanta VCTF for a few years? It just must be one of those unexplained things; he is Cole's double. Besides, at the end, Cole was immune to freezing. And he wouldn't be feeling any pain. Phoebe wouldn't have been able to mark him at all."  
  
"No wonder Phoebe freaked," said Piper, still examining the FBI agent. "Let's get this sorted out, have we all finished goggling at him?" and she unfroze the room.  
  
The female Agent turned to Darryl, "I don't think talking to these people is going to change anything," she said, "Besides, I think John should go to the hospital, and get x-rayed. I think she broke some of his ribs."  
  
Leo unhitched the baby sling, and passed it to Piper, walking forward towards John Grant, and holding out his hand. "My name is Leo Wyatt, and I'm err I'm a doctor, maybe I could take a look?"  
  
At the same time Paige went over to the woman, and introduced herself, and asked if she would look at the photograph album. She sensed that the woman was angrier over the incident than the man.  
  
"I'm all right," said John exasperated, "I don't think anything's broken - I don't need a doctor," and he waved Leo away, but Rachel turned towards him and overruled him.  
  
"Yes you do," she said, "Don't be a baby! If he's a doctor, let him look, he might be able to help. You can't even breath properly!"  
  
John's blue eyes flew to meet her green ones, and he smiled ruefully. "Do you know how embarrassing it is to be beaten up by a midget?" he asked no one in particular.  
  
"Well that's no reason to ignore broken ribs," said Rachel crisply, but walked over to him, to gently put her hand on his shoulder, her expression, behind his back, one of tender concern. Paige and Piper exchanged glances, and realizing that the focus needed to be shifted away from what they hoped Leo could do, Paige produced the photo album, and handed it to Rachel.  
  
John reluctantly pulled his shirt out of the waistband of his trousers, and began unbuttoning it, as Rachel opened the album. Leo placed his hands on John's chest, even that movement caused John to inhale rather sharply, but Paige made such a great deal of pointing out Cole in Phoebe's wedding photo that Rachel forgot to look at what Leo was doing to John, and stared instead at the picture with disbelieving eyes.  
  
Leo closed his eyes, and felt the broken bones under his palm begin to mend. John Grant gasped again, as a wave of pain swept over him, and then receded completely away! He looked in amazement at Leo, who pretended to feel a little further, and then down at his chest in disbelief, the bruising was fading already. "I don't think the damage was as bad as first thought," said Leo, standing up.  
  
Paige also looked at the bruise on his chest, then slowly back up his body into his eyes, and smiled. "You sure do look like Cole Turner," she said to him with a knowing look in her eyes. "With or without your clothes."  
  
John was unable to control the colour that rose in his cheeks, he sat up straight, and was about to button his shirt, when Rachel finally managed to find her voice again.  
  
"This is amazing," she said, and Piper who was still holding a gurgling Wyatt, nodded. "Yes, it is," she agreed, "I hope you can understand why my sister, who is still grieving, totally lost it the way she did."  
  
Rachel turned the page, and looked at another photo. "I don't believe it - how could this be?" She looked into the photo, which was of Cole, full face to the camera, a teasing smile on his lips, and then back at John Grant, sitting on the couch. She couldn't believe what she saw; the two men were identical. John kept his hair ruthlessly short, to discourage the curl that was natural to him, but apart from that, the pictures could have been of John. In fact, if she didn't know for a fact that John had not been to San Francisco before, she would have sworn on a stack of bibles, that they were.  
  
John, however, was still caught in the wonderment of being healed by Leo, and hadn't looked at the photos. He kept touching his ribs, and taking deep breaths, and wondering why the stabbing pain had gone. He looked at Leo, and Leo just smiled offering no explanation.  
  
Rachel finally handed John the photo album, and male like, John glanced at the photo, before looking back up at Rachel, raising one eyebrow and asking "Oh yeah, I guess he does look a bit like me. Oh your sister is very pretty," to the girls looking at him.  
  
Rachel snatched back the photo album, resisting the urge to hit John over the head with it. "Well she is pretty," he said defensively, "I was too busy being beaten up to notice before."  
  
"Are we going to press charges?" asked Rachel, and John bit his bottom lip (another Cole trait thought Paige) and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Well I'm fine now - thanks to Leo, I don't know what you did but it sure helped - and I don't feel like going to court and explaining how I was beaten up by a little thing like that." John replied, "Lets get her in here and talk to her. But you guys had better protect me," he added, giving Paige a wink, "Cause she scares the hell out of me."  
  
Paige looked back into his blue eyes, and smiled. She had never really liked Cole, he had scared her, used her, and intimidated her to a degree, and even though he had saved her life on many occasions, she had never gotten over the shock of seeing him transform into Belthazor, or forgiven him his betrayal of Phoebe, but this man had Cole's breathtaking good looks, without any of the bad side effects. She smiled at him again, liking the humor she could see twinkling in his eyes.  
  
"Leo, go with Darryl, see if Phoebe's alright," said Piper, rocking the baby, "She may need calming down, before she comes in here." Leo and Darryl disappeared, and Rachel sat down next to John, still looking at the photos in the album.  
  
"How's the ribs?" she asked, then turned and looked at him. "I mean, do you need to go to the hospital or not? Seriously."  
  
John shook his head, "No, everything's fine," he replied, "no pain at all anymore." "So, it can't have been that bad after all," she said, and John looked down at his chest again, puzzled. "I guess not," he said, and Rachel rolled her eyes. John saw her and said in a plaintive voice "But I do have a bruise." And they both laughed at the silliness of his comment, Paige joining in. Piper was still rocking the baby, he was nearly asleep, one chubby little hand wound around a lock of his mother's hair. She was still pondering the significance of this man's unbelievable likeness to Cole, and what affect it was having on Phoebe 


	4. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 Phoebe had spent the last hour sitting on a bunk in the 'cell', a small unused office, with a bunk bed and one old chair, and a very strong door. When the door opened, and Leo walked in, she ran to him, and he put his arms around her.  
  
"Leo, it's Cole, he's back" she said, rushing to get the words out, "you must get the others to get a potion.." "Calm down, Phoebe," said Leo soothingly, "It's not Cole." "They will have to make up another batch, we have to protect ourselves," she continued, and Leo hugged her tight against him, and said again "It's not Cole, Phoebe, it's not Cole!"  
  
She pulled away from him as his words sunk in, looking up in puzzlement.  
  
"Have you seen him?" she demanded. "How can you say he's not Cole?" "I've seen him, talked to him, and healed him. He had two badly broken ribs Phoebe, about to pierce his lung. Cole was self-healing, you know that. He may look like Cole, but he isn't." Phoebe shook her head, "It must be a trick of Cole's." she said. "He must have some sort of plan.."  
  
"Listen to me Phoebe," said Darryl, "I have never met John Grant, face to face, until today, but I have spoken to him on the phone many times, I know he isn't Cole Turner. I am as shocked as you were - but John Grant is one of the good guys."  
  
Phoebe was unconvinced, but she allowed them to lead her back to the room where the others were. She held Leo's hand tightly as the door opened, and caught her breath as she saw him sitting on the couch, laughing with Paige and the red-haired woman.  
  
He looked up at her as she entered the room, and then pretended to duck behind Rachel. Her eyes drank in the sight of him, shirt unbuttoned, dark hair tousled, his blue eyes laughing up at her, and her heart leapt in her chest again. She found it hard to draw air into her lungs, and concentrated hard on squashing down her feeling of panic.  
  
Then she watched as Rachel put her hand possessively on John's knee, and a flame lit in her heart. Rachel stood up, and pointed to a chair. "We have decided, due to the unusual circumstances, not to press charges," she said to Phoebe. "But you must realize that what you did today was unacceptable."  
  
Phoebe ignored her; she was still staring at John, who had started buttoning his shirt a little self consciously, and standing up, tucked it into the waistband of his trousers. He smiled at her, a little tentatively, and then crossed over to stand next to his partner.  
  
Piper came up to her, and put her arms around her, murmuring softly into her ear, that everything was o.k. but suddenly tears filled her eyes, and started running down her cheeks.  
  
Then he came towards her, wearing Cole's beautiful body, smiling Cole's dazzling smile, and talking with Cole's voice and she started to shake. "I'm sorry that I am causing you pain," he said softly, watching her out of Cole's blue eyes, "I can't help the way I look. But I'm not your husband - I'm not that lucky," and he reached out and took her hand, in concern. She finally managed to drag a breath of air into her lungs. Something inside of her started to melt. Perhaps she was being given another chance! Perhaps the Gods had sent this man to her. Trembling, she allowed him to lead her to a chair, and managed to smile up at him.  
  
"I am so sorry I attacked you," she whispered "But you look so much - I mean you look just like ." Rachel Burke put her hand on John's arm, and he turned from Phoebe to look at her. Phoebe felt the squeezing pain in her heart again. "We need to know you won't attack anyone else," she said shortly. Paige wrinkled her nose at Rachel, and said sarcastically "Well really, does anyone else look that much like Cole?"  
  
John moved closer to Rachel, his eyes following the by-play between her and Paige, and Phoebe for a moment felt bereft, when his attention left her. She smiled at him again, her best bewitching smile, and said hesitantly, "I hope you can forgive me?" and John turned back towards her.  
  
"It's something that's never happened to me before - but I guess I am a big enough person to forgive - it's not like you did any real damage or anything. Except maybe to my pride." And he grinned. It seemed he had the ability not to take himself too seriously, which only added to his charm. Leo and Darryl both sighed with relief, and Leo took back the sleepy baby from Piper.  
  
Only the woman in the room were now aware of the tension. Phoebe and Paige were both looking at John with a questioning hunger, and Piper was looking at them both warily.  
  
Rachel, however, the only non-magical woman in the room, was aware of their regard, and once again touched John on the arm, so he turned towards her. And Phoebe saw how his eyes locked on Rachel's eyes, and saw the slight twist of his mouth, the tenderness in his eyes, and suddenly was consumed by an enormous rush of jealousy. He was looking at the redhead the same way Cole used to look at her. A feeling of anguish so strong that it physically hurt, swept over her. This could not be, no one could be that cruel. He couldn't come back into her life again, and be in love with someone else! She wouldn't allow it! He may not actually be Cole, but he had Cole's body, and Cole's face, and therefore, he must have Cole's great depth of feeling, and it must be for her! Hesitantly she stood up, and walked over towards him, taking his arm, and turning his attention back on her.  
  
"So - am I forgiven?" she asked in a little girl voice, looking at him through her lashes, her heart beating fast to be so close to him. She could see up close, that he had the same long dark eyelashes as Cole, the same colour blue eyes, eyes that could darken with desire, or flare with passion, and the same protruding bottom lip, the same shaped mouth, the one Cole used to kiss her senseless with, and her desire ignited suddenly.  
  
He looked at her for a long time, but then as she stared at him, she watched as he flicked his eyes back towards Rachel, making sure he knew where she was, and as he did so his face softened, and the bite of jealousy Phoebe felt consumed her!  
  
Piper came and took her hand, and pulled her back, sensing that something was happening inside of Phoebe. She glared at Paige, and then sent an imploring look toward Leo. "We'd better go, - thank you for your understanding," she said to John, keeping a firm hold of Phoebe's hand. "I hope you find your serial killer - Goodbye." And she physically pulled a resisting Phoebe out of the room, reluctantly followed by Paige. Rachel stood next to John, holding his arm, stamping her possession for the other women to see, and watched them go.  
  
"Well, that was an unusual experience," she said, and turned him back to look at her. "Very strange," he agreed, and she smiled at him, and reached up to touch his mouth with one finger, where it was slightly swollen still.  
  
"I wonder where this guy is? Maybe we are related, somehow," he said, in a thoughtful tone, but then became distracted as Rachel smoothed her finger along his lower lip, and smiled as he looked at her in confusion. She suddenly knew it was time to take their relationship up a notch. Ever since he and Bailey had worked so hard to free her from jail, and re- establish the VCTF, she had known this time would eventually come, but it had taken the jealous vibes she had felt from two of the Halliwell sisters, to make her realize that John Grant was what she wanted, and what she was going to have. He was far too attractive to be left to wander around unattached.  
  
He grabbed her hand, and brought it back to his mouth, kissing the back of it as he gazed into her eyes. Then she closed them as he pulled her closer to him, and took possession of her mouth with his. 


	5. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6  
  
Phoebe had pulled away from Piper, and just as they turned into the corridor, she turned and went back into the office where the two FBI agents were. She opened the door in time to see John Grant take Rachel in his arms, and kiss her thoroughly. Neither of them was aware of Phoebe standing devastated and desolate in the doorway. She backed out of the room, and caught up with her family in the car park.  
  
Piper looked at her in concern. "Oh sweetie, are you all right? What a shock for you. But it's o.k., he isn't Cole, Cole is gone, and gone for good. You can move on with your life." Phoebe didn't answer, she stared ahead in almost a zombie like state, and Piper exchanged worried glances with Leo. Paige also gave Phoebe a hug, and tried to get a response from her. "He was really cute," she said, "But she was a bitch. I can't see what he could see in her!" Phoebe still gave no response, but sat in the back of the car, next to the baby, just looking out of the window. Leo turned to Paige, "I guess you couldn't see what he saw in her, but she is very beautiful. And they are obviously in love," he said, and Piper thumped him on the arm. "Enough with the love talk," she whispered to him, "I think Phoebe is in shock or something - I mean look at her." When they arrived back at the manor, Phoebe allowed them to lead her inside. She sat in the sunroom for a long time, ignoring offers of hot drinks, or even alcoholic drinks, and stared out of the window. By the time her sisters were really really worried, she finally left the sunroom, and walked up to the attic. Piper and Paige followed her and she turned to face them, standing next to the Book of Shadows.  
  
"I was wrong," she said slowly, "I was arrogant, and unfeeling, and totally wrong," "What are you talking about, sweetie?" asked Paige, worried. "Cole," Phoebe replied. "I didn't give him a chance. I didn't allow him the opportunity of explaining what happened to him."  
  
"Phoebe, you gave him every chance," said Paige "He just kept screwing up. He was evil, Phoebe, you know that, and he couldn't change that." "No," replied Phoebe. "I kept telling him he was evil, but he wasn't. Piper, you know how much good he did. He didn't want what happened to him - he didn't want to be the Source. He absorbed those powers to protect us. He did a lot of things to protect us. And I ignored them all. I failed him, in the end, not the other way around."  
  
"It doesn't matter now Phoebe," said Piper, coming forward to put her arm around Phoebe. "Cole is gone - don't torture yourself like this. We did what we thought was right at the time. We can't change that. You have to move forward." "Yes," said Phoebe, dry-eyed. "But I am going to do what I should have done before. I am going to have a memorial service for him, just me - I don't want you here. Leave me alone, I'm going to light a candle for him, a candle of remembrance, and ask for his forgiveness. And also - also for my baby. Because he wouldn't have been evil, if it hadn't been for that potion the Seer gave me to drink."  
  
Piper looked at her for a long time, then nodded, and started to leave. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" she asked, turning back "I will light a candle also, Cole saved my life more than once." "You may stay, if you want to," Phoebe replied, and looked at Paige. "Not you, you didn't really ever like Cole, did you?" "Honestly, no," Paige replied, "Because he scared me. But I understand you needing to do this, and will support you if you want me." "Very well, but please, empty your heart of any pre-conceived ideas about Cole, and help me with this. I should have done this a year ago."  
  
And they formed a circle, each holding a candle, and began an age-old ceremony, to say goodbye to a loved one, and finally the tears Phoebe had been holding back burst forth, and she cried in her sisters' arms for a very long time.  
  
**** ****** ****  
  
Phoebe Halliwell stood at her window, and looked out over the bright city lights. It was the day after the day after her birthday. She had told Jason she needed time to herself for a while, she needed to allow herself to mourn, to come to terms with Cole's death. She needed to be able to get past the fact that there was a man out there, who was Cole's double.  
  
She had seen the future; she had met the bitter old lady she was to become. She had hoped to change that particular future, but now she was scared it was too late. She had cried herself dry yesterday, and last night, and most of today. Now she just stood at the window, wondering if this was the hurt he had felt, when he was trying to kill himself, if this numbness would ever go. The breeze picked up a little, her curtains lifted and swirled around, she cocked her head to one side, not sure if she was hearing her name whispered or not. Her heart began to beat faster, and she felt suspended in motion, she knew there was someone behind her, but couldn't turn, was afraid to turn around, in case it wasn't him, but her heart was suddenly singing. The End 


End file.
